Sunset
by Sara Jaye
Summary: A confession from Marron forces Gateau to come to terms with his feelings and hidden insecurities


"Sunset"  
by Sara Jaye  
  
Yay, Gaterron! :D This was inspired by a picture challenge, and it   
was pretty damned easy. Just looking at the picture and listening to the   
stuff on my playlist gave me all sorts of nice images... *_* So, I came up   
with this. ^_^  
  
[Sorcerer Hunters belongs to Satoru Akahori and Rei Omishi. I'm just   
borrowing the characters for a while.]  
  
~  
  
Marron sighed, wrapping his arms tightly around himself. It was getting   
dark, and he knew he'd eventually have to come back. He silently cursed   
himself for not bringing a blanket with him. The shoreline wasn't such a   
bad place to camp out.  
  
Anywhere was better than going back to the inn and facing the others.  
  
Especially him.  
  
The one who'd crushed his dreams.  
  
'Serves me right for being so foolish, though. What was I thinking? Telling   
someone like Gateau Mocha you love them is pretty much asking to have your   
heart broken,' he thought bitterly. 'I'm so stupid...all this time I   
thought maybe his actions towards me might have meant something. I should   
have known better.'  
  
Marron shook his head. Why was he even so upset about it?  
  
"It's better this way...at least now I know what kind of person he is," he   
muttered. "And he could've done worse than saying he had to work out, then   
running off. He could have been really upset, or laughed at me...especially   
if I'd brought up my assumption of his feelings. That might have been a   
disaster. After all, no one likes having assumptions made about them."  
  
Marron slipped his shoes off and dangled his foot against the water's edge,   
closing his eyes.  
  
"Of course, all the logic and reasoning in the world doesn't make it hurt   
less," he mumbled. "I don't know how niisan does this every day. Telling a   
girl he wants them, getting rejected, then bouncing right back..."  
  
Marron sighed. Maybe he should have gone to Carrot about this. He'd wanted   
to, but fear of his brother's reaction held him back...he knew Carrot   
wasn't a judgmental person, but he was pretty protective of his brother.   
The idea of Marron being in love with anyone, much less another guy, might   
shock him.  
  
"Niisan would probably try to get Gateau in a headlock or something,"   
Marron mused. A small smile crossed his face at the image of Carrot   
pummeling the musclebound blond, yelling "I'll make you pay for hurting my   
little brother, you jerk!".  
  
"But on the other hand...I don't actually want to see Gateau HURT. Even if   
he stomped on my heart..."  
  
Marron drew his knees in and hugged them to his chest, looking towards the   
horizon. The sun had begun to set, painting the sky with soft, rich shades   
of gold, orange, pink and violet that reflected off the surface of the   
water. It was so beautiful...  
  
'Beautiful...just like he always said I was. Just another beautiful   
plaything to him...'  
  
Marron's shoulders shook slightly as he fought back the tears threatening   
to spill over.  
  
'No. I'm not going to think about him right now! In fact, I'm not going to   
think about anyone, or anything...I just want to watch the sunset and   
forget the rest of the world exists for a while...' He let his eyes close a   
little. 'That sounds good...'  
  
~  
  
Meanwhile, a very frustrated Gateau stalked through the abandoned streets   
of the small town. He felt like kicking himself more and more with every   
passing second.  
  
"God, what the hell's WRONG with me?! The most beautiful man in the world   
says he loves me, and I make up some excuse and run off. This should've   
been the biggest, most wonderful moment of my life! Why did I have to go   
and screw up like that?!"  
  
Gateau sighed, kicking at the ground.  
  
'You know perfectly well why. The second he said those words, you realized   
there was no way in hell you were ready for this,' a voice in his head   
scolded. 'Think about it. All this time you've been chasing after him,   
trying to snag him, and you don't know ANYTHING about him!'  
  
Gateau sank down on a nearby bench, burying his head in his hands. That   
little voice was right.  
  
"I've been so stupid...going on about how I want him so badly, thinking   
'Wow, I love him!' when I don't even know what his favorite color is," he   
muttered. "Maybe this isn't love...how can you LOVE someone you don't even   
know?"  
  
'Hey, I never said it wasn't love!' the voice said. 'The heart never lies,   
and yours clearly says you love this guy. But you can't rely on your heart   
alone! You gotta use your brain! And think about this...you ran away, and   
running away usually means you're afraid.'  
  
"Afraid? Me?!"  
  
'Why else would you run away from a beautiful man saying he loves you?'  
  
Gateau sighed deeply. The voice was right. He was sure of his feelings for   
Marron, but something was holding him back.  
  
What was it?  
  
Suddenly, it struck him like lightning.  
  
"I guess...maybe I AM a little scared...no, REALLY scared," he mumbled.  
  
He would have stayed there longer analyzing what he was afraid of, and why.   
But the sun was setting, and he wanted to find Marron before it got dark.  
  
"Besides, maybe if I at least tell him why I ran away, he'll at least   
listen to me...after he's finished biting my head off, anyway."  
  
He stood up and continued walking along the streets. As he neared the   
shoreline, he spotted a familiar flash of black.  
  
'Aha!'  
  
~  
  
"Marron!"  
  
Marron's head snapped up at the sound of someone calling his name.   
Recognizing the voice almost instantly, he growled in frustration.  
  
'Damn it! Could fate BE any more of a bitch tonight?!' Marron thought,   
curling up a little more tightly. 'Not only can I NOT stop thinking about   
him for more than five seconds, he had the nerve to go LOOKING for me!'  
  
"There you are."  
  
Slowly, Marron turned around to see the tall, broad figure standing behind   
him.  
  
"Gateau."  
  
"Jeez...don't go running off like that anymore, okay? Kinda scared me...I   
was afraid a sorcerer got you or something," Gateau said.  
  
"I'm fine. I just wish to sleep here for the night instead. It's...more   
relaxing, to be away from niisan's snoring," Marron lied. Gateau raised an   
eyebrow.  
  
"Without any blankets?"  
  
"I feel like being one with nature tonight."  
  
"Sure. Sleeping on wet sand is really being one with nature." Gateau rolled   
his eyes. "Now really. What are you doing all the way out here?" he asked.  
  
Marron slowly stood up, fully turning around to face Gateau.  
  
"You, of all people, should know," he snapped.  
  
"Marron..."  
  
"You expected me to sleep in the same inn as you after what you did to me?"   
Marron narrowed his eyes. "After the way you toyed with my emotions for as   
long as you did, only to go and stomp on my heart when I made an honest,   
heartfelt confession?!" he yelled. "You have some nerve, Gateau Mocha!"  
  
Gateau sighed. Of course. How could he have forgotten even for a minute why   
Marron would be angry? 'I should've known this would happen. I DID know   
this would happen, that's why I almost didn't look for him. After the way I   
blew him off earlier, who could blame him for wanting to stay the hell away   
from me?' He ran a hand through his hair. 'And how am I gonna explain to   
him WHY I ran off? God, I hate having to admit weakness or fear...would he   
even believe me if I told him the truth?'  
  
"Well?" Marron crossed his arms over his chest, tapping one foot. "Come on,   
Gateau, I don't have all night."  
  
"Look, Marron...I'm sorry, okay? You're right, I did a rotten thing and I   
don't deserve to be anywhere near you right now," Gateau sighed. "I'm a big   
jerk and I should be punched in the face. So go ahead. Punch me."  
  
"Gateau..."  
  
"Go on. It'll probably make you feel better, won't it?"  
  
"I'm tempted, Gateau. But even punching you wouldn't erase what happened,  
and it won't make me feel any less stupid!"  
  
"Stupid?"  
  
"Gateau..." Marron clenched his fists. "Why?! I...I thought you DID have   
feelings for me, why else would you be asking if I wanted to sleep   
together, stripping naked and showing off your muscles for me, trying to   
protect me in battles, staring at me, saying I'm beautiful...! Was I just   
another plaything for your collection, Gateau?"  
  
Gateau squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, trying to keep his emotions in   
check. He'd deserved that.  
  
"Marron..."  
  
"Well?"  
  
Gateau slowly walked over to Marron and put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Look at me."  
  
This was the first time Marron had ever heard Gateau say those words so   
seriously (Not to mention with his clothes on). He lifted his gaze, the   
expression on his face still stern and a little angry. Gateau swallowed,   
looking gently into Marron's eyes.  
  
"You were never just a plaything to me, Marron. I care about you so much,   
and I'd rather get crushed by an anvil than hurt you," he said.  
  
"And yet, you DID."  
  
"Let me finish." Gateau sighed. "When you told me your feelings, I...I   
didn't know WHAT to think. I mean, you're always so indifferent, you always   
ignore me whenever I flirt with you, or turn away whenever I try to show   
off...then you turn around and tell me you love me and that confuses the   
hell out of me!"  
  
"So it's my fault?" Marron narrowed his eyes.  
  
"No! That's now how I meant it," Gateau said. "I mean, I didn't think you   
could ever return my feelings...I always dreamed of you saying something   
like that to me, and when it happened, I...I couldn't believe that it WAS."  
  
"...Your feelings, Gateau?"  
  
Gateau nodded, resting one hand against Marron's cheek.  
  
"Marron...I love you. I've loved you since I first laid eyes on you," he   
whispered.  
  
Marron's eyes widened.  
  
"...Y...you..."  
  
He drew back from Gateau, eyes blazing. Gateau sighed.  
  
"See, THIS is why I never said anything, I knew you'd react this way!"  
  
"It's not that!" Marron gasped. "Gateau...if you really love me that   
much...then...then why the hell didn't you just SAY it before?!"  
  
"Because I was scared!" Gateau yelled. "There, I said it. I...I'm scared,   
Marron."  
  
"Scared...?"  
  
"I've never felt like this before...never loved anyone as much as you,"   
Gateau said quietly. "I care about Carrot and Chocolat and Tira and Big   
Mama and everyone, but you...when you smile, it makes me happy like nothing   
else knowing you're happy. When you're sad, it just tears at me, makes me   
wanna hold you in my arms and try to take away all your pain...when you're   
hurt, I wanna go out there and beat the crap outta whoever hurt ya..." he   
said. "I'd give you the world if I could...I'd give my life for you if I   
had to...and that's the truth." He sighed. "Of course, I hardly KNOW   
anything about you...that's no way to start off a relationship, is it?"  
  
Marron was at a loss for words. In his more cynical moments, he'd assume   
Gateau was feeding him lines out of a romance novel. But seeing the way the   
larger man was blushing, rubbing the back of his head, looking right at   
Marron as he spoke...there was no way he could be lying.  
  
"Gateau," Marron finally managed to get out. "I-I had no idea..." He closed   
his eyes, fighting back tears.  
  
"What I just said...I can't normally BE so...SAPPY like that. It's like...I   
don't wanna hide things from anyone, I prefer to be a man without any masks   
or covers or anything like that. But when it comes to matters of the   
heart...I just get so NERVOUS," Gateau said. "Hearts are fragile, and I   
didn't want to break yours...but that's kinda what I ended up doing, isn't   
it?" He sighed.  
  
"It would have hurt me less if you told me you didn't know what to say. At   
least that would have been honest," Marron said, turning around and staring   
at the sunset. The earlier shades of gold and orange replaced with deep   
crimson and violet.  
  
"I know that now," Gateau said, walking up behind Marron and gently   
embracing him. Marron's instinct was to struggle away, but Gateau's arms   
were warm, and he quickly relaxed.  
  
"Please...in the future, try to be honest with me. No more running away or   
trying to put on a macho act, or anything like that," he said.  
  
"I will," Gateau said. "You have my word of honor and loyalty not only as   
a man, but as the man who loves you." He sighed. "I want to get to know   
you better, Marron. Not just the pretty guy I've been chasing, not the   
powerful magic user with the ofuda in his hand...I wanna know the REAL   
Marron Glacé."  
  
Marron smiled a little.  
  
"And I want to get to know you better, Gateau...even if you're a man   
without masks, there's still quite a bit I've yet to learn about you," he   
said.  
  
"Agreed." Gateau smiled.  
  
"So my assumptions were right..." he sighed.  
  
"Yeah." Gateau smiled. "I love you, Marron...I really do."  
  
Marron turned around to face him, his eyes shining as his emotions caught   
up to him.  
  
"Gateau..." Tears spilled down his cheeks, but he was smiling. Gateau   
wrapped his arms tightly around the smaller man, hugging him tightly.  
  
"It's all right...everything's going to be all right. Don't cry," he   
whispered.  
  
"I know..." Marron returned the embrace, resting his head against Gateau's   
chest. "I love you," he whispered, tightening his grip slightly, almost as   
if he were afraid Gateau would bolt again. Gateau planted his feet firmly   
in the sand.  
  
"I'm not going anywhere this time, Marron," he said. "Not now, not ever...  
you're stuck with me." He grinned. Marron looked up a little and smiled.  
  
"Good." He reached up to ruffle Gateau's hair a little.  
  
"I love you..." Gateau whispered again before leaning in to kiss Marron   
gently. Marron eagerly returned the kiss, his eyes closing as he nestled   
further into the blond's embrace.  
  
When they broke apart to breathe a moment later, Gateau stared at the sky.   
The sun was almost gone now, but a few traces of color still mingled with   
the dark blue sky.  
  
"Isn't that beautiful?" he murmured.  
  
"It is," Marron sighed. "But the way it looks as the sun is just beginning   
to set is even more breathtaking."  
  
"Really?" Gateau smiled. "I never noticed it before."  
  
"Then tomorrow night...I want us to watch the sunset together," Marron   
whispered.  
  
"I'd love that," Gateau said. "I love you..."  
  
"I love you too," Marron murmured, snuggling further into Gateau's embrace.  
  
They stayed there until long after the sun had set completely, and were   
almost sad to go back to the inn.  
  
But they had tomorrow's sunset to look forward to. And the next night's.  
  
And hopefully every night after that.  
  
~End~  
  
Aah, I rather like how this one turned out. ^_^ And yeah, it's yet   
another "angst turns to sap" piece...granted, the two kinda merge for a bit   
at one point, but...ah, well, what can I say? The WAFF muse was working   
overtime on this one. ^_^; The image of Marron and Gateau standing there in   
each other's arms on the beach looking out at the sunset is just so...  
squee-inducing. XD XD 


End file.
